Blood Red Horizon
by Kyoko Miya
Summary: Under the blazing gold sun and the shimmering silver moon, these two will meet in a dark situation... Learn of the history with The Assassin Queen, Aura, and Thief King, Bakura.
1. Prologue

**Prologue: **_**A Promise To Kill**_

A young girl with her hair tightly pulled up in a ponytail suddenly appeared at the base of an alter that a man sat upon and bowed to him.

"How was you're mission, Aura?" The girl looked up at him with a bright smirk and took out a dagger with blood covering the blade, her fiery ginger hair, except for one black strand that was beside her right eye, cascaded down her back after she removed the ribbon and her gray jade eyes caught the light.

"It was successful, milord... I await your next command for the poor souls execution..." The man smirked and leaned back against the wall.

"Your next assignment is to kill the Thief King Bakura... Now tell me, what is your promise that you will kill him for me?" Aura then lifted up her arm and let the glittering silver gauntlet catch the light.

"I made my vow to all that I serve, under the watchful eye of Isis, that I will eliminate all that I must kill." The man smirked and came down from the alter, handing her a small scrap of paper.

"And that's what I expect from the famous Assassin Queen... Within that parchment is the information that you need to find him. Seek and destroy him, my dear, and don't return till he's dead by your hands!" She bowed again and quickly left the room, exiting and mounting upon a silver-manned stallion and road off into the desert in search of her next target.


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One: **_**Under The Blazing Sun**_

The sun soon began to set as a figure loomed at the entrance of a tomb, a sack over his shoulder that glittered from stolen treasures.

At that moment, Aura was cloaked in a pure white shawl and she looked at the man from the top of the entrance while she held a dagger in each of her slender hands.

_'When the moment comes, your blood will spill upon the sands and turn them scarlet, tomb robber...' _She thought as she watched him haul the bag, smirking as he began to drop his guard.

"NOW YOUR TIME HAS COME, TOMB ROBBER!!!" The hidden assassin stood up and quickly jumped before him, her blades came towards him until he dodged them and dropped the bag to grab his own daggers to fight back.

"Who are you and why are you attacking me?! I did nothing to you!!!" She smirked, even though he couldn't see it, and her gauntlet was exposed in the blazing sun.

"Wait... You've come to kill me, haven't you?!" Aura then quickly attacked with one of her daggers again and Bakura blocked it again.

"How observant of you, tomb robber... But you'll never live long enough to tell about how you were attacked!!!" She then took her other dagger and began to thrust it towards his stomach, but Bakura quickly put his dagger away and grabbed Aura's wrist.

"WHO HIRED YOU?! WAS IT THE RA DAMNED PHAROAH?!" She took her dagger and tried to stab him in his hand to let go, but he quickly disarmed her and grabbed both her wrists with one hand, removing the white shawl around the assassins' head to reveal an enchanting young girl with fiery ginger hair.

"You're... WHO ARE YOU?!" She glared at him with piercing gray jade eyes.

"_Au maosen ututsu nerok, suonea heirun_!" He couldn't understand her, yet she continued to struggle.

"I don't know what you said... But you're not getting away till I find out!!!" Suddenly, a blond-haired man came out of nowhere and began to pry her free from Bakura's grasp.

"Don't worry, Aura... I'll get you out of this!" She looked at the man in shock.

"K-Kaede?! I DON'T NEED YOUR DAMN HELP!!!" The man she called Kaede didn't listen and already pulled her loose and placed her upon the back of a horse and road off with her into the horizon.

Bakura watched them then picked up the fabric that was wrapped around the young assassin's head.

"So the girl's named Aura... I'll remember that for our next encounter." He then mounted upon his black stallion with his treasures and road away from the now baron tomb.


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two: **_**Rest Before Meeting Again**_

At one of the many hide-aways the assassins built to rest during or for their travels, Aura was laying on the warm sand while Kaede sat beside her.

"I'm so sorry that I ruined your mission, Aura... But I misunderstood what you said to him and I thought you were calling for help. By the way, who was that guy you were trying to kill?" She sat up and smirked at him.

"Name's Bakura, known to the world as the Mighty Thief King... And it's okay, Kaede. You're still trying to understand my hidden code, so I don't blame you completely... Besides, if you tell anyone that I failed a mission, I'll cut that precious tongue of yours out so you'll never speak again!" Kaede began to laugh and he smiled at the young queen of assassins, he was used to getting threatened by Aura every once in a while and he knew that she would never really back up those threats that she spat at him.

"I just don't get it, Kaede. When I was fighting him, I sensed something different about him..." She sighed then removed her hair ribbon, letting her hair flow like a waterfall down her back, and laid back down on the warm sand with a soft smile that Kaede never seen from her.

"But I'll find out what's caught and unweave it out of that tomb robber! Then I'll know what I feel from him..." He then smiled at her, placing a dagger in her hand just in case someone attacks her in her sleep.

"Then you can rest out here and I won't follow you till you send out your little pet hawk..." She then turned to her side with the dagger in hand and fell asleep upon the warm Egyptian sand as Kaede crawled back into the cavern.

Mean while, Bakura was sitting inside his hideout with all the treasures and jewels that he stole over the years. He felt the shawl that was left behind by the enchanting assassin and was surprised by how soft but simple it was.

"By how that assassin fights, I shouldn't drop my guard for a single second or it might be the end of me... Well, if I know how an assassin works, she's going to attack me between day and twilight or at night. Can't wait till she show's her pretty little face again." He then looked at the ceiling, trying to think when the next attack would be.


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three: **_**Stuck With You**_

The moon was about to rise in a few seconds and Aura already attacked Bakura four times, both of them hit the walls causing something to be triggered from deeper in the tomb. Now she was hidden above in the tomb walls, waiting till Bakura dropped his guard again. She held the dagger that Kaede gave her tightly.

_'The first person to survive my attack ever had to be a tomb robber... I can't wait till his life is taken by my hands and his blood stains the ground and this blade!' _She thought and noticed that he wasn't taking all the treasures that adorn the walls and Aura observed him closely, wondering why he didn't steal the ones on the walls.

A few minutes later, Bakura was beginning to drop his guard and Aura smirked.

_'Perfect... He's relaxed now that he thinks I'm not here... Now's my chance!' _She stood up as he was directly below her and she removed the sheath of the dagger and placed it inside her pouch with a smirk.

Right when she was about to about to strike, Aura's foot was caught between a stone in the wall, she twisted her ankle because she tried to struggle free and fell down, landing on top of Bakura.

His back hit the wall and the tomb began to quiver when the entrance suddenly collapsed, locking them inside.


	5. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four: **_**The First Night**_

Bakura looked at the entrance in shock as it closed them inside then he looked at the fallen person who knocked him into the wall and stared in amazement.

There, on his chest and unconscious for the moment, was the young assassin that attacked him four times since the sun began to set, and now it was five.

He looked at her carefully then noticed that she still held a dagger in her clenched fist, it was a golden bladed dagger and there was a ribbon tied to the handle.

Bakura then began to pry the dagger from her hand so he could move her from on top of him, but she held it close to her and it became hard to take it from her.

He then sighed and gently placed her on the ground and moved to the other side of the entrance, far enough that she couldn't just stab him without standing and coming at him.

After ten minutes passed, the young assassin queen began to regain consciousness, then quickly tried to stand, falling back to the ground and letting out a gasp of pain.

"Wha-? What happened to my leg?!" Bakura was slightly sleeping until he heard her fall to the ground then looked at the injured assassin with a smirk.

"So, you're awake now and you can't walk... A damn assassin that can't walk is helpless if they can't reach their target, right Aura?" She stared at him in shock.

"HOW DID YOU...?! I'm going to punish Kaede when I get back for blurting my name out in front of my target..." Aura then placed down the dagger and began to examine her leg, a large blotch of purple was noticeable upon her ankle and she sighed.

"The joints out of place... It'll take a while till I can walk again..." She muttered then laid down upon the floor, taking off her shoe on her wounded foot and her hair ribbon, letting her long hair flow again, placed the ribbon at the bottom of her foot and began to pull on it tightly while pushing with her leg.

A few seconds of pressure upon her ankle and a loud crack echoed as her ankle was placed back into it's joint and it slightly creaped out Bakura as he heard the replacement of her foot in it's socket.

She then took the sheath of the dagger, replaced the blade back into its resting place and tied the decorative, yet deadly, dagger to her leg to use it as a splint.

Aura then looked at Bakura as he stared at her for fixing her ankle in a strange way.

"What, haven't you ever known a person to fix their own body after they popped it out of their joint?" He shook his head then laid down, still looking at her since her hair was down instead of tightly pulled in a high ponytail.

"Why are you trying to kill me in the first place, Aura?" She glared at him, leaning against the wall.

"Because I was ordered to kill you. I don't ask milord the reason and I don't like that you made me look like a rookie assassin by surviving my first attack, tomb robber..." Aura then noticed that he was starring at her.

"And what are you starring at?! Nothing's going to change until I'm better and since we're stuck here, I have to stay against the wall. Now go to sleep so you have more energy for tomorrow."

"But wouldn't you attack me in my sleep, damn assassin?!"

"I don't attack my target's when asleep, I like to enjoy the torment when I see the look of their face during their final hour. Now go to sleep, tomb robber." She then laid down, facing towards the wall, the torch's that adorn the walls blazing and reflected off of all the precious silver and gold that occupied her slender form.


	6. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five: **_**Trapped (part one)**_

A little hole in the rubble shined a beam of sunlight onto the floor and on Aura's face. She began to wake up and she smiled, forgetting that she was trapped with Bakura and she stretched.

"Morning already? I guess that's a good thing..." She then looked at her leg as she tried again to stand then felt a stinging pain upon her leg.

"Oh... Right... I'm trapped inside a tomb with no way out... Damn it." Aura then looked across the corridor and noticed the slumbering thief then smirked.

_'Sleep while you can and enjoy breathing for the moment, tomb robber... Because when I'm fully healed, I'll kill you swiftly so you wouldn't be able to tell a soul about my failure!' _He then began to awaken from his sleep as well and sat up, tired from not falling asleep till he knew that Aura was taken by sleep.

"Morning, tomb robber... Had enough sleep?" He then turned towards her and smirked at the wounded assassin.

"In fact, I did! Knowing that you couldn't attack me till your leg was completely healed." She glared at him then tried to stand again, leaning against the wall and successfully being able to stand.

"At least I can still stand, tomb robber!... As long as I'm against the wall..." She then looked at the catacomb filled tomb from a distance and sighed.

"At this rate, I won't be able to find my way out of here... Good thing I told Terror to go to Kaede if something went wrong and THIS qualifies in that category. He's probably going to be here in a few days..." Bakura heard her calculations then stood in front of the young assassin.

"So, you're saying that we'll be stuck here with each other till your friend comes, assassin?" Aura glared at him then slapped him across his face, forgetting the daggers she had hidden away on her body.

"You know my name, so call me by that with respect! If you call me assassin, then call me Assassin Queen, because that's who I am!!! Now that you've heard it, remember it and fear it and yes, we'll be stuck here, ALONE, together in this stupid tomb!!!" His cheek stung from the speed and force that she used and placed his hand over the mark.

"Fine, Aura! But save your damn energy for finding a way to survive until your stupid friend comes to dig us out!!!"

"KAEDE ISN'T STUPID, TOMB ROBBER!!!" She was about to slap him again, but Bakura grasped her wrist tightly and stopped her.

"I thought I said to save your energy, Aura!"

"WHY SHOULD I LISTEN TO YOU?! YOU'RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!!!" He then grabbed her other hand to make sure that she couldn't grab a dagger and try to stab him.

"Because I'm the one who can really walk right now and you're helpless without standing! So calm down and listen to me!!!" She glared at him then sighed slightly.

"Fine... But you know I'll kill you later, tomb robber..." He then released her wrist and stared at her.

"Can you please stop calling me that, Aura? Since I'm calling you by your name, why don't you call me by mine to be fair?" Aura then sat back down on the ground again and looked up at him, feeling helpless because she had to take orders from her target.

"Alright... I'll call you by your name, even though it won't matter after I kill you when my leg's better." He smirked at her.

"I'll keep that in mind when you can walk again. Right now, we have to make sure we can survive the tomb for the days that we'll be here. Got that, Aura?" She nodded.

"There should be a hidden oasis deeper in the tomb, why don't we try to gather some water from there so we won't die of thirst? I have a set of supplies that'll keep us both healthy till Kaede can get here and free us... Or me..." Bakura looked down at her, slightly surprised that she knew about tombs.

"How do you know about what's inside a tomb?!" She closed her eyes with a sweet smirk across her face.

"Why would a great thief, like you, want to know about my knowledge of tombs anyway, Bakura?" Aura said sarcastically as Bakura glared at her for her arrogance.


	7. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six: **_**Trapped (part two)**_

He glared at Aura as she looked down the corridor again.

"Well, it's not all my fault that we're stuck in this tomb! Now is it?!" She looked back at him then came back up, struggling slightly because of her ankle.

"Actually, it is! Because if you didn't survive from our first encounter, then we wouldn't be in here, now would we?!" They were only inches away from each others face as they argued about who's fault it was then Aura pushed him away, causing Bakura to almost fall, and she sat back on the ground, pouting.

He glared at her and quickly took away her daggers, even the one on her leg but he left the sheath, and picked her up.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! PUT ME DOWN NOW!!!"

"Be quiet, Aura! We need to get water and since your leg is injured, I have to carry you down there to get it." She then continued to pout.

"But why did you have to take away my daggers, Bakura?"

"Because I don't want to be stabbed when I'm caring something in my arms that can't walk. So calm down and tell me where this oasis is located..." She looked up at him then quickly back down the corridor.

"It should be down this hall, turning into the main room that should be decorated with stone statues of the gods and goddesses... That's where it's mainly located by what I know." Bakura looked at her, the light from the torches slightly made her look more enchanting then the sun did, then looked back down the hall that she said to go down.

The room opened up and shimmered with the large torch lights and the water was exactly where Aura said it was.

Bakura looked at the room then placed her down beside the water's edge and she began to fill a gourd, which was tied around her hip, with the water.

She then looked up at Bakura.

"Alright... This should be enough till Kaede comes and I know because I've been able to carry water for two weeks total in this one gourd. So we can go now, Bakura..." He nodded and picked her up again.

"You know, you're pretty light for a female assassin..." She wasn't paying any attention and didn't look at him as she made sure that nothing was a trap around them.

As they exited the room, Aura sighed as he continued to carry her back to where they were.

"You know that you don't have to carry me... I could walk as long as I have something to lean on and this will only be temporary, got that, Bakura?" He didn't answer and he placed her back down, the daggers on the floor were still where he tossed them down, and Aura placed the gourd by the wall then looked at Bakura.

"Do you have to do what a women says NOT to do or are you just stubborn and listen to your own head?..." He looked at her and smirked.

"I do what I think is right and what I like to do, and if I wasn't trapped here with you, I would already be planning to challenge the Ra damned pharaoh again... But I guess Ra has something else in mind that will get on my nerves..." Aura then sighed and laid down, looking at the tomb ceiling.

"And Isis must be punishing me for doing something that I wasn't suppose to do... But what was it?! I promised to her that I would take all my orders and fulfill them like the lord orders me to do... Tell me, Bakura... Other than failing my mission, is there something I did wrong?" He looked at her in surprise.

"What about your mission?! We're trapped in here because of it and whatever is going for help doesn't find your friend, we'll be stuck in here for who knows what amount of time!" Aura sighed then closed her eyes as she tried to calm herself down.

"I trust Terror with my life and you shouldn't doubt a hawk, Bakura... Now will you take your own advice and save your damn energy? I'm trying to conserve mine by trying to calculate the distance and how many days it'll take for them to meet and come to the rescue..." He then tried to calm down by looking at her, the silver band around her wrist was simple.

Aura's outfit was like nothing he'd ever seen in his life and it was like nothing any assassin wore that he's met before.


	8. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven: **_**Trapped (part three)**_

The next morning, Aura's leg was feeling better and she looked out the little hole again that existed in the stone barricade and sighed as she didn't hear her best friends voice or Terror's screech come from outside.

Bakura walked over to her, they were starting to be a little nicer to each other, and looked at her.

"Aura, is there something wrong?..." She looked at him, trying to not seem worried.

"No... Everything's fine, Bakura... I'm just worried about Terror. He's never been away from me this long and I'm betting he's going to feel horrible when he reach's Kaede." Bakura sighed and tried to cheer her up.

"But if he does come with Kaede, then we'll be free from this tomb and won't have to worry about never being found." Aura didn't even cheer up at all and she limped back to her small bag of daggers and pulled out a small stone vial, remembering the little she knows from her past.

"You can't hide your feelings from me, Aura... I can tell because you're a terrible liar when your emotions show straight through you." She didn't look at him and she put the vial back into her bag, then wrapped her arms around her legs, trying to hide that she was beginning to cry.

Bakura sat down beside her and looked at Aura then he noticed that she had a few tears upon her cheeks. His chest tightened slightly.

_'Why am I feeling this way? She was originally trying to kill me for Ra's sake! But... I can't stand to see her cry...'_ Bakura then grabbed Aura and embraced her in his arms. Aura was still crying, she didn't really notice that he was holding her at first until he began to stroke her hair softly and she began to blush.

_'Wh-what is Bakura doing?... AND WHY IS MY HEART POUNDING?! He could just be going insane or this could be a strange dream... Yeah, that must be it!'_

"Why are you crying, Aura? You can tell me, I won't tell..." She just kept telling herself that this was a dream or he had gone insane and didn't look at him as she continued to cry.

"B-because I remembered something that happened a really long time ago... When I was little and my family was alive..." Aura then gripped onto his shirt slightly with her fingers.

"And why are you... Holding me in the first place, Bakura?" He sighed as he still held the enchanting assassin close to him.

"I really don't know... But I couldn't stand seeing you sad for some reason." Aura continued to blush then she tried to push him away.

"B-Bakura, can you let me go?! I... I need to check if there's an escape around here that we missed!!!" Bakura then let go of her and she quickly walked away, even though her ankle was killing her, and hid inside a room to try and calm down.

The room was nearby the main room and Aura was starting to sort everything out.

"Okay... This must be something that's insane! I mean, how can Bakura act like that after all that I said and did to him?! Oh, Isis... WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU SCHEMING AGAINST ME?!" She asked then she placed her hand over her heart, feeling it still beat a mile a second from when Bakura was holding her.

"If this is reality, then Bakura must have gone insane..." As she was talking with herself, Bakura was leaning against the wall, doing the same thing.

"Ra... Are you trying to mess with my head?! She's an assassin who was sent to kill me and I'm a thief. Aura probably already has someone that she loves anyway... So stop torturing me with feelings about her and leave me alone!" Bakura said to himself and Aura was already starting to return from her 'SEARCH' and she sat on the other side of the small entrance, trying to hide her blush with her hair in front of her face while Bakura tried not to make eye contact.

"S-sorry about what I just did, Aura... I don't know what came over me..." She looked at him from the corner of her eye through her hair and smiled slightly.

"It... It's okay, Bakura... You must be a little on the stressed side as well. I mean, we HAVE been stuck in this tomb alone for a while and one of us would have cracked sooner or later..." He smiled, glad that she wasn't mad from when he hugged her when she was crying.


	9. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight: **_**Trapped (part four)**_

Aura and Bakura both began to feel even more different ever since what happened the middle of the day before and Aura was able to walk like normal again.

She began to remove the ribbon and the dagger from her leg and placed the dagger back in the bag while she tied her hair back up tightly with her hair ribbon.

Bakura walked over to her and sat down beside the lovely assassin.

"You know what I think, Aura?" She looked at him, still trying to get the ribbon nice and tight.

"What, Bakura?" He then stopped her from continuing tying the ribbon and smiled softly at her.

"I think you look better without your hair pulled up." She blushed a little and let her hair fall down again, the ribbon circling around her thick cascading hair.

"Y-you really think so, Bakura?... Not many people tell me things like that, not even Kaede..." He then removed the ribbon from her hair and placed it in her small bag.

"Well... You never told me why you cared for Kaede so much, Aura... Think you can tell me?" She leaned up against him as Bakura wrapped one of his arms around her waist.

"Let's see... Kaede is kinda like my older brother, since he took care of me after my parents died and he found me hiding in an alley that he was passing by. After that, he's been watching out for me so I wouldn't die like the others that he's seen on the streets..." With that said, Bakura felt relieved that Kaede wasn't in a relationship with her and then he pulled Aura closer to him, wrapping both his arms around her waist. Aura's face was painted a pale red as they're faces were only an inch apart.

"Um... B-Bakura? What a-are y-?" He then stopped her from continuing with a kiss and the young assassin's heart was beginning to pound in her chest as she melted into it.

Bakura pulled back and looked at Aura, who was blushing a bright red now, and he smiled, slightly smirking.

"That's what I was doing, Aura... If we don't get out of here, I don't want to hide anything from you, alright?" She nodded then he let go of her slender form, even though he really didn't want to let her go but he was happy that he kissed her, while Aura was still blushing slightly, thinking about what Bakura just did.

_'I guess Aura's shocked that I kissed her like that, but I'm also glad that I did... Hope she doesn't hate me for kissing her.'_

_'Oh Isis! I CAN'T BELIEVE HE JUST KISSED ME LIKE THAT!!! I mean, I did like it but that was something I didn't expect from Bakura... AND IT WAS MY FIRST KISS!' _She screamed in her head and Aura touched her lips, still feeling the warmth of his against her own. Bakura looked at her and smiled.

"Is everything alright, Aura?" Aura then snapped out of her daydream and looked at him, her cheeks still trying to go back to normal.

"Y-yes! I'm fine, B-Bakura!!! Nothing to w-worry about!" She then looked at her gauntlet and started to calm down, but at the same time, sorrow claimed her emotions.

"Bakura... If Kaede does come and set's us free, I'll have to leave you forever and forget everything that happened while pretending that you were killed during the days we were alone or the lord will assign me as the next target for his elite assassins... I should know... B-because I..." A few tears came down her cheeks again and Bakura quickly hugged her again, like that time before.

"It's alright, Aura... Now tell me, what were you saying?..." She closed her eyes tightly as she started to really cry.

"BECAUSE I'M ONE OF THEM AND THAT MEANS I ALSO HAVE TO KILL ALL THAT FAILED THEIR MISSIONS, EVEN IF THEY ARE MY FRIENDS!!!" She then wrapped her arms around his waist, gripped onto Bakura's shirt and started to cry on his chest as he held her close to him.

"Then let's hope that he doesn't find out and you don't have to forget me, Aura... Why don't you just quit being an assassin and come with me? Then you wouldn't have to worry about them." She looked up at him from his chest, tears etched her eyes like ice crystals, and his chest began to tighten like before.

"I... I can't quit... I'll be killed if I do and that means that I can't run and hide from milord! I can never remove this band and all I can do to escape is hope that he either is killed or that I die, escaping him till I'm reincarnated... So, I'm sor-!" He then stopped her again with a kiss and stopped quickly, holding her closer with his fingers in-weaved in her hair.

"I don't want to hear about you dying, Aura... And I don't want to see you cry either. Just forget about your life as an assassin and stay with me, I can keep you safe." Aura rested her head upon his chest, still crying, but she was now listening to his heart.

"I really don't know, Bakura... The lords can do anything with who ever he commands to do for him, even kill their own friends and family if he has to. At this rate about what you and me have been doing, I've earned enough spades to be killed in front of him or stripped of my title in the assassin world... And I have to..." She then fell asleep from crying too much and Bakura was still holding her close, one of his hands held her while the other one stroked her hair softly.


	10. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine: **_**Trapped (part five)**_

After an hour of unconsciousness, Aura awoke from slumber and looked up at Bakura, who she fell asleep on top of his chest. He was asleep as well and she smiled at him, slightly flushed.

_'I never thought a thief could be so nice to me... But I guess I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions about them just because I'm an assassin...' _Aura thought and she laid her head back upon his chest, listening to his beating heart, slightly gripping his shirt.

Bakura woke up and looked down at her, smiling that she wasn't trying to escape his embrace.

"I see your awake now, Aura. Are you feeling better from your little cry?" She looked up at him, barely even blushing, and slightly smiling at the thief king.

"Yeah... I guess I needed a good cry after all that I've been through. So... Why did you say all those things to me when I was crying, Bakura? I mean... Are you sure that you could keep me safe even after I told you one of the darkest things about being an assassin for life?" He noticed a tear still hanging onto the young assassin queen's skin and gently wiped it away from her skin.

"I said those things because I meant them and I mean what I said about keeping you safe, Aura." She smiled, pulled herself up to his face and kissed him softly then looked at him, she wished she could stay like this forever, but she knew that this bliss would eventually have to end.

"But you'd have to call me by a different name so anyone that knows me can't tell that I've ran away with my target... So you'll just have to say that I was killed so I'd be free from his grasp." He was slightly in shock then smiled as he kissed her softly and stopped after a few seconds.

"But I like you're name, Aura."

"Then we'd have to just pretend that I'm a different person when someone I know comes up to us." Aura then climbed out of his arms and looked through her bag, searching for something that might be helpful to them.

"What are you looking for, Aura?" She then smiled and pulled out an iron dagger and began to scrape a design into the silver band.

"I'm hiding my identity from the others so I can run away from the life of an assassin." He watched her carefully as she widdled away shaves of silver that adorn around her wrist.

As soon as she finished her plan, the young queen put the dagger away and showed him what she had done.

It now had an ankh that was too large to hide and she smiled.

"I've been known only by a plain silver gauntlet, so I just had to carve an ankh into it and now... Now I'm not the same assassin that is well known and feared." He then sat up and wrapped his arms around her waist again.

"But you're still my Assassin Queen and that won't change, now will it, Aura?" She smiled at Bakura and kissed him again.

"Of course I'm still your queen, my Thief King... But I'll have to pretend that I'm not if they see us together."

"But what about your friend and your pet? Wouldn't they blow your cover, Aura?!" She smirked at him and placed her head on his chest, listening to his heart again.

"They wouldn't if I asked them to pretend that I'm not the assassin they know and care for... Besides, Kaede and Terror get along well as long as Terror doesn't get angered by how slow he is at times. But they WILL listen to me or I'll order them to believe that I was killed by you or something else and never come around you ever. Then everything will be fine, Bakura." He then slipped one of his hands through her long hair and smiled.

"Alright, Aura... But other than that, why don't you pretend your own death and I can take you with me after I tell Kaede that you died from something? And if you want to keep Terror, you can keep him with you." She smiled at him and hugged him around his neck.

"THAT'S A GREAT IDEA, BAKURA!!! And that means Terror won't miss me at all and we can still be together!" He then kissed her again softly and smiled at the happy assassin that he held in his arms.

"If your friend comes during the night, then you'll have to stay asleep..." She then looked at him in sudden shock.

"But... But what if he comes during the day?! I wouldn't be sleeping then!!!" He sighed and smiled at her again.

"Then you'll have to pretend you ARE asleep."

"Or you can knock me unconscious so it works instantly, Bakura. I have this one weak point that knocks me out in an instant and it's in the back of my neck... Think you can handle knocking me out so I don't ruin our plan, Bakura?" He looked at her, gulped slightly then nodded.

"Alright, but I really don't want to hurt you, Aura." Aura smiled at him softly.

"I won't be hurt unless if it was used when I was on top of a wall. Remember how I was unconscious when I fell on you, that was because you hit the back of my neck when you hit the wall. So everything's alright, Bakura!" He then let go of her and sat back down on the hard ground and Aura sat down beside him.

"I'll trust you, Aura... But if he doesn't let me take your motionless body, I'll have to run away with out Terror." Aura then curled her arms around his arm and closed her eyes, since she was becoming tired again.

"Give him the golden dagger back and say that I wanted you to take my body to place it at the alter in the Temple of Isis alone and to take care of Terror... He'll listen to that as long as his precious dagger's returned to his hands." He then nodded and moved her body into his lap and let her rest there and smiled.

"I'll do that, my Assassin Queen... And make sure that we can get away from your lord." He then kissed her forehead and held her in his arms, letting Aura sleep.


	11. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten: **_**Essence Of Death And The Escape**_

The sun was already in the sky and Aura had been getting all her things in the small bag that she brought with her and handed Bakura the dagger that Kaede gave to her the night before she left him at the hide-away.

Aura then took her ribbon and wrapped her hair tightly up in a ponytail and cut part of it off to tie around her ankle to make it seem like she was killed by venom and then smiled at Bakura.

"Well... The moment of truth should be here any time today... Get ready to hit me in the back of my neck and carry me out, my king. Terror will listen to Kaede after you say that I told you to take care of him for me. Also, tell him that I couldn't have a better friend then him before you leave him behind, Bakura." She then finished packing everything she had and gave it to Bakura, kissing him softly then taking a little dirt from the ground and began to make her skin look like her body was on the ground for a while.

"So, today we'll try to by pass your friend and escape together so we won't have to worry about this boss of yours anymore." She nodded and patted some of the dusty dirt into her hair as well as her clothes.

After Aura was done with getting the appearance of a body left in the dirt, she turned to Bakura and smiled at him.

"Now, all we need to do is wait till he comes to dig us out and I'm counting on you to knock me out so we can escape... So, you ready, Thief King?" He smirked at her then quickly kissed her, trying to make sure the dirt didn't get on him.

"Yes, Assassin Queen... Just when will he come anyway?" Through the little hole, the heavy footfalls of horse hooves echoed and the sound of rocks beginning to move from the other side were heard.

"AURA!!! I'M HERE TO SAVE YOU, AURA!!!" She looked at the wall then at him, nodding and pointing to the back of her neck.

Bakura nodded in reply and hit her right where she said to and suddenly, Aura's body collapsed without hesitation.

He picked up her body, still holding onto the dagger she said to give back to Kaede.

After a few minutes of waiting, Kaede finally broke through the stone barricade that locked the new couple in for four days straight and as Kaede came in, he noticed that Aura was motionless in Bakura's arms.

"Wh-what did you... WHAT DID YOU DO TO AURA, TOMB ROBBER?!" Bakura tried to not get angered and went along with the plan then sighed.

"She was bitten by a cobra during the four days that she was here and I tried to help her, but it was too late to do anything. You're Kaede, right?" He nodded Terror landed upon his shoulder and Bakura looked at the golden eyed hawk.

"Aura, told me to take her to the Temple of Isis and lay her down on the alter, to take care of Terror for her and to give you back this..." Bakura then held out the dagger for Kaede and looked at Aura, pretending to be really sad.

"If it's alright with you, Kaede... I want to take Aura to the temple by myself and honor her final wishes." Kaede looked at Aura's face and gently touched her, like she was really dead, then he nodded at the small hawk to go with Bakura.

"Alright... But I'm only letting you take her because she wanted you to do it. Be careful with Terror, Bakura. Aura cherishes him more than her title and if anything happened to him, her spirit will haunt you for eternity..." Kaede then walked over to him stead and untied the other horse that he brought for Aura.

The bright eyed hawk, Terror, rested upon Bakura's shoulder and watched as the sorrow-strucked assassin road away.

Bakura sighed and looked down at his new prize, the lovely Assassin Queen that he now held in his arms.

He smiled and mounted upon the silver-manned stallion, with Terror still on his shoulder, and held onto Aura at the same time that he began to ride off back to his hide away.


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Chapter Eleven: **_**Spreading Chaotic News**_

Kaede entered the dark room and knelt before the lord that both he and Aura served and he held his tears in.

"What news do you bring me, Kaede?" Kaede looked up at him, still holding his tears in.

"Milord... Aura, the Assassin Queen, has been killed by a cobra's venom... She's being taken to the Temple of Isis as we speak." The man shot up from his placed against the wall.

"WHAT?! That's impossible!!! THE FAMOUS ASSASSIN QUEEN IS NOW DEAD?!" Kaede nodded, having a hard time holding back his sorrowful tears, and the man sat back down, trying not to scream any more.

"The pride of our assassin fleets... Dead by a snake bite... ... Fine, Kaede. Leave me now and I'll let you rest for the loss of your charge." Kaede then stood up and bowed then left the room in an instant.

As soon as he knew that Kaede was gone, he called upon the elite assassins, all of them knelt before him.

"Yes, milord... Who is it that you desire to see killed?" The man looked down upon them.

"As you can see, Aura hasn't come when I called my finest assassins... And that's because she died in her latest mission. Her body's now being sent to the Temple of Isis as we speak..." The assassins looked at one another then quickly back at the man.

"Your orders are to go to the temple and bring her body back here for a proper burial... GO MY ELITE, AND BRING AURA'S LOVILY BODY BACK!" The assassins that stood before him nodded then vanished, now ridding towards the temple.

The moon was high in the sky above their heads and Aura was beginning to regain consciousness.

Bakura looked down at her, so did Terror, and smiled at the enchanting assassin that had stolen his heart.

"I see you're starting to awaken, my Assassin Queen..." Aura looked up at him and softly smiled then noticed Terror, her precious pet hawk, upon his shoulder.

"Yes, and I see that the plan worked like a charm... So, how long till we reach a place to rest, my Thief King?" His attention stayed on the sands around them and smirked as they came closer to a large cave.

"Very soon, Aura... We've almost made it to my hide out and I hope you don't mind the decor." She giggled a little then held onto him gently, so he didn't loose control of the horse.

"As long as we get there, then I'll be fine, Bakura..."

"But in a few days, I'll be heading to the pharaohs palace to pay him a small 'visit'. You can come if you want to, Aura... But you might have to hide in plain sight." She nodded at him as they reached their destination for the night.


	13. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter Twelve: **_**A Splash Of An Almost Normal Life**_

Within a few minutes of ridding upon the sands, they reached his hide away and dismounted from the strong stead, Terror replaced himself in his rightful place upon Aura's right shoulder.

"Well, I guess I finally reached freedom's grasp since I escaped with you, Bakura... Now I don't have to listen to that blow-heart anymore!" He smiled at her, taking Aura's hand and leading her into the cavern's dark entrance.

"I'm glad that you're happy, Aura. But I wouldn't say that you've reached it completely yet..." She looked at him in confusion.

"And why's that?"

"Because you never know when fate may twist yours plans to it's will and mess it up completely." Aura blinked once then nodded with a calm smile.

"I see... Then I should still be cautious for a while, because the lord might want them to bring my lifeless body back to properly burry me. But that means they'll check the temple, report back to him and then a search party would come after you and me." He sighed and smiled again at her as they reached the inner sanctum Bakura called his hide out.

"That means we'll just have to disguise you very well, now don't we, my Assassin Queen?" Aura then smirked at him, stopped in front of him while wrapping her arms around his neck and kissed him softly.

"Yes, but I know what they'd never expect me to masquerade as just so they wouldn't spot me." She let go of his neck, opened her bag and took out a lovely white outfit that was very small in around the bust area.

"I was going to use this if I couldn't get you in the tomb and never got the chance, so I guess I get to use it for a different cause after all!" She quickly folded it back up and put the outfit back into the bag with a simple smile.

"That's an interesting disguise, Aura... What did you mean by your first comment?" Aura looked up at him, smiling nervously.

"Well, I heard that you fought with the pharaoh a lot and thought that if I pretended to be a new servant at his palace, that I would get the chance I needed when I saw you there... But I'm not going to do that to you, my Thief King! You have my word as an assassin." Bakura smiled and sat down beside her.

"That's very smart of you, Aura... And it'll be the perfect way to hide you in plain sight as well." She smiled back at him and leaned against the wall.

"Well, I am the Assassin Queen after all!" They then began to laugh and play around jokingly, also talking about their past experiences they've had before.


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter Thirteen: **_**Going To The Pharaohs Palace**_

The sun rose two entire days as they planned what they were going to do for the attack against the pharaoh.

Aura walked over and picked out the white gown from her bag then looked at Bakura, the mighty thief she was supposed to kill, but fell in love with instead.

"Bakura... I better get ready for our little trip. You won't have to worry about me too much, because I can handle myself..." She then walked into a deeper part of the cavern that wasn't lit with light and changed into the pure white servants gown.

It flowed over her gently and the top hugged her form while the skirt only hugged her hips.

Bakura smiled and handed her one of her daggers with a bright smile.

"I never expected you to look even more enchanting than before, my Assassin Queen." She smiled back, took the dagger, hid it on a small binding upon her thigh and kissed him.

"You really are a snake charmer today, aren't you Bakura?" Aura said with a slight joking tone in her voice then they both began to laugh.

"I guess I am!" They both smiled at each other than walked outside of the cavern and mounted upon two different horses.

"You know what to do, right Aura?" She nodded as she sat sidesaddle on the dark stallion.

"Of course I know what to do and I'll help you as much as I can inside the palace while I pretend to be a servant girl."

"Good… Now all we need to do is get you into the palace and get close to the pharaoh so you can do your part of the plan." They both began to ride towards where the Pharaoh of Egypt, Atemu, was sheltered away from almost all the world.


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**Chapter Fourteen: **_**Deadly Assassin, Enchanting New Servant (part one)**_

As the guards of the palace stood in their ground, Aura dismounted her dark stallion and handed the reins to Bakura with a sweet smile.

"You sure that you'll be fine getting in on your own, Aura?"

"Yeah… I've had this planed out getting inside the palace for a while now. And I'll see you when you make your arrival… Just don't forget me inside, Bakura." He dismounted his horse, wrapped an arm around her waist and softly kissed her with a smile.

"How could I leave you with the Ra damned pharaoh, Aura? Besides, I'll make sure to get you before I leave when I kill him." She nodded as he let go of her then smirked at him.

"Alright, Thief King. But don't come running up to me during my little performance to get in… I know how to handle the guards and it's with a little sweetness…" Aura then removed her pure white cloak, placed it upon the strong black stallion's back.


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**Chapter Fifteen: **_**Deadly Assassin, Enchanting New Servant (part two)**_

Aura then began to walk towards the guards with an innocent emotion upon her face.

When she got to the top stair, she fell onto the floor and looked at the guards like she was hurt.

"Ow… My ankle…" One of the guards walked over to her and knelt down beside the disguised assassin.

"Are you okay, miss?"

"I… I think I hurt my ankle… … And I was supposed to start working here as a servant. Do you, well… Do you think you can help me inside, sir? I'll try and do my best to start working if you can help me get inside." The guard was about to help her up but before he could grip onto her arms to pick her up, a young boy with spiky hair and crimson eyes picked her up in his arms.

Aura blushed a little because of how he was holding her, which reminded her of when Bakura picked her up in the tomb, while the guards looked at him in shock.

"Ph-pharaoh Atem! I thought you were inside!!!"

"I was going to see about walking around when I heard you talking with this girl." The guard straightened up and looked at him.

"She said that she's a new servant and I was going to help her inside since she fell." Atem smirked at the guard and looked at Aura, who was still lightly blushing.

"Well, then I'll take her inside. But first, what's your name before you start working?"

"My… My name's Aurora. I don't have a last name…"

"Okay, Aurora. You'll start working when you think you're ready." She then nodded shyly, trying to keep the innocent act where no one would suspect that she's up to anything.

He then turned and took Aura inside the palace so she could start working when her so-called hurt ankle is better.


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**Chapter Sixteen: **_**Deadly Assassin, Enchanting New Servant (part three)**_

The young Pharaoh walked down the corridor with Aura, the Assassin Queen, still in his arms to a room where the other servants stayed and placed her down on some colorful cushions then smiled at the fiery redheaded girl.

"You'll stay here until you feel like you can stand again. I'll stay here if you want me to, Aurora." She then shook her head, still playing the innocent act, and looked into his striking crimson eyes.

"I… I'll be fine, Pharaoh. Um…I think I can work now." Aura then tried to stand up, but fell back instantly.

'_Wha-? What's going on? Why can't I stand up?!'_ Atem then knelt down beside her leg and began to inspect her ankle, it was a little bruised and she looked at her ankle in shock.

'_I… I really got hurt?! But that was just a fake fall!' _He barely even touched her ankle and she winced in pain.

"Looks like you're not better yet, Aurora… At least your joints not out of the socket." She looked at him then at his hands around her ankle.

"Th-that's true… But I'd know how to fix it if it was out of the socket. I've replaced my joints back into place many times before, so I'll be fine." He then looked at her and Aura pulled her ankles away from his hands, starting to feel a little nervous as if he was going to kill her.

"So you know how to heal? That's a good skill, Aurora." She then looked in a different direction, like something caught her eye.

"Think you can call me Aura instead? Aurora's not really my name."

"Your name's Aura? That's the same name the Assassin Queen." Aura then looked at him; still trying to be innocent so then he wouldn't know that she was the same Aura.

'_How did he know about that?! Gotta make a great alibi and quick!'_

"Well… Isn't that interesting! Um… But how do you know things about the assassins, Pharaoh?"

"I have to know just in case someone tries to send them after me. I've heard that she's the best one they have since she was five or six years old… And that she's just as enchanting as she is deadly."

"Oh, really? How did you hear about how she looked?" He smiled at her simply.

"From a person named Kaede. He was asking where the Temple of Isis was and told me that she was killed by snake venom and that the damn tomb robber, Bakura, took her there."

'_I didn't know word of my false death would get out so quickly… But I guess that it would've gotten out eventually.'_ Atem looked at Aura in curiosity and gently move her face with his hand to where he can look at her.

"Why do you seem so concerned about how I learned about the Assassin Queen, Aura?" Her eyes went wide as she stared back, now trying to think of something to keep her alibi safe from begin accused wrong.

"Um… I… Because I just wanted to know! That's all…" He smiled at her, still looking at her face.

'_She's nervous about talking to me about the Assassin Queen. But why? Guess I'll just have to find out later.'_ He then removed his hand from the side of her face, but still starring into her eyes.

"You're a little tense and I guess you'll want to be alone for a while, right?" She then nodded as Atem stood up.

"Then I'll leave you alone, but the other servants might come in every once in a while." He then turned and began to leave the room, leaving Aura to sit in the large decorative room alone.


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**Chapter Seventeen: **_**The First Night Of The Lovers Separation And Meeting Within The Dark**_

While the palace laid in slumber, Aura stood outside in the darkness so she could talk with Bakura again.

The wind caressed her long white servant's gown and fiery cascading hair while she stood there, starring out at the moon that was hidden part way by the clouds.

A shadowy figure crept up behind the enchanting assassin and grabbed her around her waist and covered her mouth.

"Don't scream, Aura… It's just me." The person whispered into her ear softly and her body relaxed as she listened to the person's voice. He then removed his hand from her mouth and she stood there calmly in his arms.

"I knew you wouldn't forget to meet me tonight, Bakura. Glad you came…"

"And how can I forget you when I wouldn't leave you in the clutches of the pharaoh for long, now would I? So, what's happened to you so far, my Assassin Queen?" Aura gulped slightly, not enough to notice that she did, and sighed.

"So far, the other servants are nice to me and the weakest point of the palace is through the servant's chamber and through a hidden escape route near the exit. And I've gotten hurt without knowing until I tried to stand up in front of the pharaoh after he carried me into the servant's chamber, even though I told him I could walk…" Bakura held onto her a little more tightly, but still soft enough that she wouldn't get hurt, while his embrace was protective and glared at the sky.

"I'll make sure he doesn't try to take you away from me, Aura… I hate him enough as it is and I don't want you gone from my grasp." She then softly smiled and turned in his embrace and laid her head on his chest.

"Why would I let someone steal my heart away from the King of Thieves? Besides that… I'll only be inside the pharaoh's palace as long as I need to so I can help you get inside. So don't worry about that, Bakura." He then looked down at her with a smile.

"Alright, I'll trust you about that… I'll be back tomorrow around the same time, but I'll send Terror during the day if someone's coming that might cause trouble for you." Aura still smiled at him and gently kissed him.

"Then I'll try to stay working outside to receive your warning." Bakura then let go of her and quickly vanished off into the darkness while Aura quickly went back inside the servant's chamber.

One of the younger servant girls walked over to her and smirked.

"Were you just kissing with that guy outside, new girl? The pharaoh's is going to get jealous when he hears that." Aura then looked at the servant girl in shock.

"Wh-what do you mean by that?! He wouldn't get jealous if I was with someone or not… Besides, that was the man I loved before I came here." The girl still had a smirk across her face.

"But are you not Pharaoh Atem's concubine?" The young assassin then glared at her, but tried to keep her rage as calm as the Nile River.

"No. I'm no one's play toy for a bedchamber, not even if I was forced to be his concubine because I rather die first before becoming one… Now, if you don't mind, I need to get to bed. Can't work hard if I'm tired now can I?" She then laid down on the cushions that the pharaoh placed her on before and drifted off to sleep, her memories of her past missions made Aura stir in her sleep.


	19. Chapter Eighteen

**Chapter Eighteen: **_**The Letter**_

The sunlight flooded into the servant's quarters and the girls were just waking up, just to find that Aura was already awake and working in the courtyard, singing softly to herself as she worked.

Most of the servants and guards watched her work in a water-like motion, cleaning like she did this her whole life, which was kind of true since she also had to do all her own work on top of being a famous assassin.

A tall man with piercing eyes walked over to her.

"So, you're the new servant the pharaoh's been talking about. You seem very skilled to be any ordinary new worker…" She then smiled at him simply.

"I always did the work back with my guardians, so I'm used to cleaning as long as I pretend it's something else."

"Well, then you might want to teach that to the others around here so then they can stop complaining about work. Also, there will be a very important group coming to the palace tomorrow. So make sure that you keep working."

"Alright, sir!" He then walked away and back into the corridor of the palace, right when a screech came from over head. Aura looked up and smiled as she held her arm out like a branch as the magnificent hawk landed on her arm, tied to his back was a note.

"Thanks, Terror…" He then rested upon her shoulder as she read the letter.

_Aura, _

_Terrible news… I heard that your old band of assassins is meeting up with the pharaoh tomorrow. Be on your toes and please keep out of sight. I don't want you to die… _

_Bakura._

Aura then smiled as she kept the letter and stroked Terror's feathers while he nuzzled her cheek.

"Thanks for the warning, Terror… Now go back to him, I promise that I'll be back soon." She then kissed the fierce hawk on his beak and let him fly off again with a calm smile.

Aura watched Terror fly away then turned to be surprised when she saw Atem standing there at the entrance.

"Oh! Um… Hello, pharaoh. I… I didn't know that you were there." He then smiled at her then at Terror, even though he was almost out of sight.

"Was that your hawk that flew off?" She hesitated slightly then nodded.

"Y-yes… That was Terror. He was just giving me a letter from a friend, that's all. Besides, Terror is my trusted partner when I go somewhere."

"I see. Well, I also noticed how you worked and wanted you to be in the main room when the assassins come to the palace."

"Uh… But I… Um… I might be working out here or somewhere else in the palace during your meeting. So… So how about you get one of the others to be there?" Atem then looked at her with a 'please come' look, which was giving Aura a hard time to say no to him.

"Please, Aura? I'd really like you to be there." She then sighed and looked at the ground.

"A… Alright… But only because it's hard to say no to a person who asked so nicely." He smiled at her.

"Thanks. I'm really glad that you're going to come…" He then walked away, Aura now working again but with a worried expression on her face.

Her mind paced back and forth, trying to keep her mind busy by thinking of something else, which always led back to her current situation.


	20. Chapter Nineteen

**Chapter Nineteen: **_**The Midnight Meeting With Dark Woes**_

The day went on with Aura working with the other servants with them asking her questions about the pharaoh and her replying that she doesn't know anything about him.

Time went on and the young queen of assassins stood outside the servant's quarters, a worried and scared expression on her face. Bakura then came from the shadows like the night before and hugged her gently, surprising her for the moment.

"You seem to be deep in thought, Aura… What's on your mind, my Assassin Queen?" Aura then sighed and closed her eyes as she stayed within Bakura's embrace.

"I'm just worried about what might happen to me if I'm found by the other assassins… Kaede probably won't be there, so he's the least of my problems."

"Then what are you worried about if you stay out of sight, Aura?"

"I… I'm going to be in the same room with them…… If they spot me, I'll either need you to get me out of there, run until I loose them or get killed." Bakura turned her within his embrace and held onto her protectively, softly speaking to her.

"I wouldn't let you get killed, Aura… You can count on me to protect you from the other assassins." His breath was warm against her skin and she closed her eyes as a few tears fell from her eyes and touched his skin.

"Thank you, Bakura… I just hope that I won't be seen by the others or else I won't be able to help you get inside anymore, my thief king…" He nodded, still holding onto her protectively and close to him.

"I don't care if that happens as long as you're okay… But even though I can't stand to see you cry, I have to go before the guards spot me here with you. Just remember, Aura… I love you." Bakura then kissed her softly, let go of her and ran off, leaving the young assassin queen standing outside of the servant's quarters.

The servant girl from the time before then walked over to her and placed her hand on Aura's shoulder.

"What's wrong, new girl? Did he say that he doesn't love you anymore?" She then shook her head slightly.

"No… He told me that he'll come save me soon and that he loves me… I trust him with all my soul. It's just that I might be…" Her tears then welled up in her eyes, causing her to drop to her knees and break down crying into her hands.

"I don't want them to see me… I can't let them see me… I'm supposed to be dead and I'll be dead if they find me here!" Aura sobbed as she knelt there, crying in her hands. The other servant girl then knelt beside her and tried to comfort her.

"There, there… You'll be okay, new girl. The pharaoh wouldn't let them kill you, right? How about I go get him for you?" Before Aura could tell her not to, the girl already and quietly went to get the pharaoh. Aura sat there outside where she was after Bakura left her there, crying softly so she wouldn't wake the other girls inside the servant's quarters.

A few moments later, when Atem came to see what was wrong with her, he found out that Aura had cried herself to sleep and picked her up then looked at the other servant girl that told him that she was crying.

"Thank you for telling me about Aura. It seems that she has very fragile emotions… I'll take her with me to my chamber until she's awake and feeling better." The young girl then bowed to him as he left the servant's quarters with the sleeping Aura in his arms.


	21. Chapter Twenty

**Chapter Twenty: **_**Morning of Confusion**_

The morning sun weakly touched Aura's gentle face; which held a mixture of comfort, sorrow, fear and slumber. Warmth encircled her form as she lay in a large bed, which caused her to slightly shift from her former position to where she could be closer to the heat source.

'_It's so warm… Wait a second… … WARM?!'_ Her jade eyes then shot open, just to cause her to blush by how close to the Pharaoh she was. She could even just grab her dagger and end his life right then if she wanted to, but her mind told her that it would cause too much of a scene to find the young Pharaoh dead with a girl in his arms that has his blood all over her.

'_How did I end up like this?! I have to find a way out of this mess! What did Kaede always tell me when I'm in the arms of someone who's asleep and under cover? GAH! WHY CAN'T I REMEMBER WHAT HE TOLD ME?!'_ She was frozen in place, hoping that Atem would soon let go of her so she could quickly and quietly leave his bedchamber.

After a few minutes of waiting without hope of him letting go and she was about to try to get out of his embrace, the doorway creaked open and exposed a tall man with piercing blue eyes walking up to his bed.

Aura quickly pretended to be asleep again, trying not to panic about her current situation.

"Pharaoh, you have to wake up now. The assassins will be arriving here soon…" Atem then slowly began to awaken from slumber and looked at him, a drowsy smile upon his lips as his grip upon Aura's slender form loosened from its hold on her.

"Alright, Seth… I'll be there to meet them." Seth then nodded and turned to leave, closing the door behind him to let Atem fully awaken from his sleepy state. Atem then looked at the so-seemed sleeping girl and smiled softly at her.

'_I wonder why the servant wouldn't tell me why she was crying… Oh well, at least she's no longer crying. I better wake…'_ A sudden gleam of something silver caught his crimson amethyst eyes and looked at her wrist, noticing that the gauntlet around her wrist had the markings that were about a few days old.

'_What the-? Why is she wearing a silver gauntlet? I'll ask her later…'_ He then gently shook Aura by her shoulder, thinking she was still asleep, and she pretended to wake up from her so-called slumber.

"Aura… Wake up, the assassins will be here soon and you promised that you'd be there with me." She then looked up at him, looking as if she was still tired.

"Hn? Oh… Morning, Pharaoh…"

'_Maybe if I play coy I can get away without panicking. That should work for now…' _Aura thought as she sat up from where she was laying and looked as if she couldn't remember where she was.

"When did I-? Pharaoh, did you bring me in here and where are we?" Atem then moved the stray locks of hair that were in the way of her face then he smiled.

"You were crying last night and I brought you in here after you cried yourself out before I got there to see if you were okay. So, do you feel better?" Her fingers glided through her hair gently, moving some of her hair behind her ear.

"Oh… I'm really sorry that I caused you trouble, Pharaoh. Are you… Are you really sure you want me by your side? I normally start crying when something bad is about to happen."

"Well… I really want you there, but if you really don't want to go, it's up to you." She then looked down at her silver gauntlet, her slender finger tracing the ankh that was carved in.

"I… I just have a problem around assassins… … I feel like they're always after something from me. But I'll come if you really want me to." Even though on the outside she looked like she wasn't playing coy, Aura was inwardly smirking to herself.

"I would still enjoy your company if you'd stay with me during the talk with the assassins." Aura then sighed softly and looked at him, away from her gauntlet.

"If you wish, Pharaoh. I'll try my best not to be frightened by their presence…" She then stood up from the bed and walked over to the large doorway, stopping and looking at him with a very small smile.

"I will leave the room so you may get ready properly…" Aura then vanished behind the door, leaving without Atem being able to get a single word in when she stood up from his bed.


	22. Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Twenty-One: First Sign of Trouble 

'_How am I gonna to get out of this now… I'm going to be right in front of my fellow assassins as a servant for the Pharaoh and I have to find a way to stay alive!'_ Aura thought as she was working on hiding the black strand within her fiery hair, only stopping for a few seconds to add a little color to her frail face so she appeared to look a little more like a servant then a missing assassin.

'_There… My little masquerade is perfect.'_ She then stood up and walked out into the open sunlight, standing at the far end of the balcony so no one could see her there unless they went outside.

After a few seconds of standing there and being all alone to drift deeply into her thoughts, someone snuck up behind the young assassin queen, quickly covered her mouth while wrapping a strong arm around her waist and bringing her entire body close to them.

'_Wh-what's going on?!' _Aura thought as she now began to struggle to break free from the persons embrace.

"What a cute little servant girl… You remind me so much of the Assassin Queen that you could practically be her yourself." The man's breath tickled her ear as he spoke softly to her, his voice suddenly striking immense fear in every fiber of her being.

'_Sh-Shiro?!… Did he…? Did he figure out who I am?!'_ She could then feel his breath shifting, moving down to the soft skin on her neck before his lips were pressed gently upon it. The sudden touch of his lips on her neck sent an extra large jolt of fear through her, now causing her body to squirm even more.

'_No… He doesn't recognize me; he's not being cocky like he usually is around me, he's in his womanizer mode! I have to break free!!!'_ Her mind began to race as Shiro continued to kiss her neck, still holding her tightly in his grip on her.

'_Have to break free with out trying to kill him. Someone… Anyone, help me! BAKURA!!!'_ Right then, the womanizing assassin stopped kissing her neck and looked at another tall man that appeared beside him with dark piecing eyes, which were glaring at him.

"What are you doing, Shiro? I thought I said NOT to run off and cause trouble… And now I find you with a servant girl, goofing off when you're suppose to be with the others!" Shiro then nervously smiled at him and let out a very nervous laugh as well.

"Well I… You know I CAN'T help myself when I see a beautiful woman, Kai."

"Ever since Aura died on her last mission, no one's been able to keep you in line, letch." Kai then pried Aura out of Shiro's grasp and placed her beside him for protection.

"But this young beauty looks almost identical to our Assassin Queen, I just HAD to test her to figure out if she wasn't just a look alike since we didn't find Aura's body at the Temple of Isis." Her eyes then looked wide in shock, now knowing that if this didn't work that they would kill her for running away right on the spot.

Kai then looked down at Aura, inspecting her features to see what Shiro meant.

"I understand that you were testing her, but that doesn't mean that you have to scare the poor girl! Besides, Aura had a black lock of hair by her right eye and her gauntlet didn't have anything carved into it… Now go back to the others right now, Shiro, before I tell the lord what you've been doing on this task!" Shiro then gulped, quickly nodded and left all of a sudden, leaving Kai alone with the young Assassin Queen.

"I'm really sorry about that, miss… I can see why Shiro would think that you were her; you could really pull off impersonating her if you ever became an assassin. By the way, what is your name?" Aura then gulped a little and tried not to look so fearful.

"I-it's Aurora, but some people call me Aura for short… And I couldn't possibly compete against the real Queen of Assassins herself! I mean… I'm not that strong willed to be an assassin like her… …" Aura then noticed the assassins heading towards an area where the Pharaoh was going to talk with them.

"And you better go now, sir. I'll see you there." She then quickly walked off, trying not to panic that she was going to see them at the conference.


	23. Chapter Twenty Two

**Chapter Twenty-two:**_** Assassin's Within and Aura's Fear**_

Within the large decorative throne room, Aura stood quietly beside the young pharaoh's throne while the assassins stood neatly in front of them.

Kai took a step out of the row and knelt before Atem with his head facing towards the floor.

"It is an honor that you accepted our offer to talk with you in person, Pharaoh Atem… But I'm sorry that you have to see us without our pride and joy, the Assassin Queen."

"I understand that loosing your best assassin is a terrible feat that you must endure. But what was the mission she was on that caused her to die?" Kai then stared up at him, his dark piecing eyes not as cruel as they were toward Shiro earlier.

"Kaede, her brotherly guardian, claimed that she was killed by snake venom… But he also mentioned that she was trapped within a tomb for four days and it's hardly possible that she would simply die that easily without a fight. She was ordered to kill Bakura, the Thief King." Atem then stood up from his throne, his amethyst eyes blazed with rage at the mention of Bakura.

"Bakura?! That tomb robber was her target and was supposedly killed by a snake's venom?" Shiro then stepped forward and knelt as well.

"Wh-what do you suppose happened, Pharaoh?" Aura then seemed fearful about what Atemu was about to say as a conclusion of how she supposedly died.

'_If this is going where I think it's going, then Bakura's going to be in real trouble if he comes today… I have to think of something quickly to get him off the subject and warn Bakura!'_ Before Atem could answer, Aura suddenly fell to the ground like she was weak or in deep shock.

"AURORA!" He then knelt beside her and picked her up, checking to see if she's okay. During this, one of the assassins noticed something about the so-called servant and took a step forward towards Kai.

He then whispered something to him then left the room after Kai nodded in reply.

"Aurora, are you okay?"

"I… I'm fine, Pharaoh… … I just need some air."

"I'll come with you."

"No!" He then looked at her confused then she made a fake cough look real.

"I mean… You still need to talk with the assassins and they did say that it was an honor to speak with you. I'll take a walk to relax then come back, I promise…" Atem then sighed and helped her stand up, allowing Aura to quickly escape from the throne room.

'_Yes! I go out of there without a hitch! Now time to warn Bakura if I can find him… I'll just call Terror and that'll probably make Bakura come, too.'_ She then began to run out of the palace, heading into the city surrounding it to search for her love, not knowing that she was being followed by a particular person.

'_If I'm correct, the young servant girl is our supposedly dead Queen of Assassins… But I first need proof before this girl can be accused.'_


	24. Chapter Twenty Three

**Chapter Twenty-Three:**_** The Attack and The Retreat**_

Aura quickly ran through the city streets, searching for her beloved without exposing him to anyone that could recognize him.

'_Bakura… Where are you?'_ She thought as she began to remove the lone raven black lock of hair.

'_I could call for Terror and Bakura might follow after him. When I find a empty place, I'll do just that.'_ As she continued to run at her natural speed, the cloaked man continued to follow after her and now knowing that his suspicions were correct.

'_Aura… Why did you let us all to believe that you died, did something happen to you on your last mission where you gained a conscious or is there something more to your trickery…?' _After a few minutes of searching the streets and ending up in a clearing that seemed to be safe, Aura called for her piecing eyed hawk by whistling at a high pitch.

From the other side of the city, Bakura and Terror were waiting for night to fall so then they could attempt to kill the Pharaoh and take back Aura.

"You know… Sometimes I just wished you could speak so you could tell us the things you see, Terror." Right then, Terror looked into the distance and suddenly took of flying high above, Bakura following him since he was suppose to watch Terror for her while she masqueraded within the palace.

"Terror, get back here! Where are you going?!" Bakura called after the bright-eyed hawk that glided about, in search for his deadly mistress.

After a few minutes of Aura waiting for her trusted hawk to arrive, she heard a low chuckle that sent a chilling tremble down her spine.

"Well well… Am I seeing a ghost or is that the beloved Aura, Queen of Assassins…" Aura then suddenly turned around to see that her suspicions were correct.

"K… Kiyoshi…"

"I'm touched that you remember my name, Aura… But you won't be able to say anything ever again since I'm sick and tired of hearing the lord praise you!" He then took his daggers out and lunged at the young Assassin Queen, only to get blocked by Aura using the gauntlet on her own wrist along with one dagger like a sword and shield.

She then kicked him away then hurried off in a different direction, hopping that Terror heard the call and Bakura was following him, while Kiyoshi was quickly following after her.

During that time as well, Terror and Bakura were coming closer and closer to where Aura was, who was running for her life since she only had one dagger and she had to warn Bakura about what she heard.


	25. Chapter Twenty Four

**Chapter Twenty-Four:**_** Death of The Assassin Queen**_

After a few moments of running through the streets, which were strangely empty at a time like this, Aura was beginning to loose her breath from her non-stop sprinting in her effort to escape Kiyoshi.

Terror and Bakura then appeared at the other side of the courtyard, but Bakura didn't notice Aura there for the moment.

Right then, Aura noticed him and smiled softly, now running towards him while not noticing that Kiyoshi was almost in striking range.

"Bakura!" He then looked in her direction, just in time to see the downfall of his beloved Assassin Queen.

Kiyoshi's blades suddenly sunk into her back where her heart was, causing Aura to jerk her head back to gasp for air while a little blood escaped out of her mouth from the sudden pain.

'_Is… Is this how a victim feels when we kill them?'_ That single thought leaked into her mind as Kiyoshi smirked evilly, twisted his daggers in her back once before pulling them out with a gagged tug of his wrist.

"Let's hope Isis will let you pass on, traitor!" Bakura's piecing eyes went wide as he saw Aura's form fall towards the ground as the cruel-hearted assassin laughed at Aura's pain.

Bakura then ran over to her and gently caught Aura before she hit the ground. Right then, Terror extended his long talons out and reached for his mistress's killer to take out an important thing an assassin needed. Kiyoshi screamed in utter pain as the fierce hawk's talons sunk into his sockets and gouged his eyes out, allowing Bakura to lay Aura down and finish Kiyoshi off with one single strike that channeled his hatred into the blade of his dagger and kill the murderer.

He then went back to Aura and held her in his arms like he did multiple times before, tears now seeping out of his eyes as Aura could barely breath from the two large wounds in her back that were absolutely fatal.

"Aura… Please don't die. I don't want you to leave me…" She weakly smiled at him, some blood leaking out a little more on the side of her mouth and she gently placed her hand on the side of his face while Terror took his place on Bakura's right shoulder and looked at .

"I… Can't p-promise that, my… Thief K-king… B… But if I s-stole the h… Heart of the King of Th-thieves… … W-would that m… Make me a thief, too?" A few of his tears fell upon her gentle skin, a sad smile on his face.

"Yes… That would make you a great thief, my Assassin Queen…" Her weak smile warmed up a little as she looked up at him from where she laid within his arms.

"Th-then… I'm a… Also the Q-queen of… Thieves… …" Aura's eyes then closed as her hand fell from the side of his face, her body now limp like cloth within his embrace and her lips still curled in a soft warm smile.

"You'll always be my Queen…" Bakura replied softly as held her body against his own, sobbing into his dead beloved's limp shoulder.

"You're never going to escape from my heart… Since I'll never let you go, Aura… …" He then gently kissed her lips gently for one last time, feeling the chilling taste of death upon her lips and the emptiness beginning to consume his vengeful heart. As he looked at her face for one last time, he noticed that her body was starting to fade away into a shimmering silver glow that suddenly encircled the last remaining items that was left behind.

Her pure silver gauntlet and her deadly dagger hit the dusty earth with a simple clank along with the beautiful white ribbon that originally held up Aura's long fiery hair, bringing attention to itself and causing Bakura to pick them up. He held onto her ribbon and breathed in the delicate scent that was left upon it then used it to tie down the dagger to his waist.

Her silver gauntlet brought his attention to the inside that was hidden from the world until now, exposing the delicate hieroglyphs written within the once simple armband that belonged to his love.


	26. Chapter Twenty Five

**Chapter Twenty-Five: **_**The Assassin Queen's Message After Death**_

"Wh-what's this…?" He then began to read the small hieroglyphs inside the band, wanting to know what was written on Aura's precious silver gauntlet.

'_To all who I care for with all my heart… _

_My existence in this world has been long and hard since I probably never find freedom from my life of servitude as an assassin. I just hope that for once within my long years of being an assassin that I can at least feel free and live somewhat like a normal young woman. If any time that this assassin's dream was fulfilled, I hope that I die with a smile on my face and in the arms of the man I fall in love with. _

_Please forgive me Isis and hear this silent plea by granting me this wish… Even for a short while, so long as I turn out happy in the end… If you can not hear me begging you with my entire heart crying out to you, then I'll keep this wish within the one thing that I'll never be able to remove once I fully become a deadly assassin to help remind you about my only wish that I ask of you._

_Along with this wish, grant me the chance to be reincarnated in the future so I may relive my life as a normal woman would… So long as I don't have to be forced to kill ever again._

_Assassin Aura of the Bloody Black Spades'_

Bakura then held it close to him, now placing it in a safe place to make sure that nothing would happen to his last memento of Aura.

"I'll make them pay… First everyone I know is killed for a sacrifice and now this… … I'll make them all pay for taking her away from me!" He then ran off towards the palace, filled with rage and emptiness so he can gain his revenge on the assassins and the Pharaoh for all the pain they've caused him.


End file.
